MPP students excel in first-ever Public Policy Datathon at Brandt School

On Monday, February 10, 2024, MPP students at the Brandt School made history by participating in the school's first-ever Public Policy Datathon. The event brought together 16 participants, who formed five teams to tackle data-driven challenges using Python programming and the World Bank's open datasets. Over the course of 80 minutes, the teams worked collaboratively to analyze complex public policy issues and present their findings to a distinguished jury.

A datathon, akin to a hackathon, is an intensive event where participants use data to derive insights, build models, or create solutions within a limited timeframe. The Brandt School's Datathon challenged students to apply their newly acquired data analytics skills to real-world policy problems. Each team was assigned four public policy challenges, ranging from analyzing renewable energy consumption in European countries to examining exports of goods and services, deposit interest rates in Latin America, and fixed broadband subscriptions in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

 The jury, composed of three experts, evaluated the teams' performances. The panel included Dr. Hasnain Bokhari, Head of Digital Policy and Artificial Intelligence at the Brandt School; Mr. Felix Haak, Consultant for Digitalisation at the Digital Agentur Thüringen GmbH; and Mrs. Lena Kiesewetter, Managing Director of the Brandt School. The teams demonstrated their ability to query the World Bank database in real time using Python, showcasing their proficiency in data analysis and problem-solving.

The Datathon was organized under the auspices of the Computational Social Science in Public Policy project, led by Dr. Bokhari and funded by the Thüringen Ministry of Economy, Science, and Digital Society. It was an integral part of the MPP course on Advanced Data Analytics, designed specifically for students without a technical background. Throughout the course, students learned to use Python programming to address social science challenges, equipping them with valuable skills for their future careers in public policy. 

To incentivize participation, cash prizes were awarded to the top-performing teams: €400 for first place, €250 for second place, and €150 for third place. The event not only highlighted the students' growing expertise in data analytics but also underscored the Brandt School's commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology into public policy education.

The inaugural Datathon marks a significant milestone for the Brandt School, setting a precedent for future events that bridge the gap between data science and public policy.